Losi Micro Crawler + Aoshima Range Rover model kit...

[Big Mike]

= lots of tiny screws, sore thumbs, strained eyesight, and a decent helping of frustration!

But the end result is pretty cool - a 1:24th scale re-pop of my 1:1 daily driver, with some lift and bigger shoes:









I cut the stock chassis plates in half and screwed them to the model kit chassis - I should have raised it another 4 or 5mm. It's tough to visualize how things are going to work out in this small scale. To get the right ride height and get it level, I had to do some un-orthodox suspension that I'm not really too happy with - sprung rear and droop front. Shocks are Micro-T units with the Micro Crawler shock caps and ends swapped on. Long ones in back w/ springs, short ones in front w/o. The ride height is good and the body sits level, but there's room for improvement for sure:



It's good for a paper clips-worth of articulation in it's present configuration. A little more Xacto knife work might get me a little clearance for more. I'd also like to lower the body another 5mm or so, but I can't figure out how to go about it. Space is at a premium in these little builds:



The wheels and tires came from RPP Hobby, made by Aoshima. I simply made a slot in the backside for the pin and drilled them to accept the axle. Backspacing worked out about the same as the stock wheels. 3 wraps of solder on the front rims and 2 on the rears adds a bit of operational weight advantage. The tire compound is a tad on the hard side, but the size and appearance are damn near spot-on:



I can lay down a mean orange-peel the only place I can paint is my basement, and it's pretty cold down there right now





Underside view. I stretched the rear link length to make the wheelbase match the body. Lower links are made up of Micro ballends, 2-56 rod, and .016 aluminum tubing. Front links are stock length, but I re-made them to match the rears. I stretched the rear driveshaft w/ a piece of aluminum tubing:



You guys who are hiding the electronics inside the model kit interiors, my hat is off to y'all for sure. I have no idea how you make everthing fit w/o using different components and re-wiring most of it. I'm leaving the interior out for now, I couldn't configure the stock electronics to fit around/into the interior...

[crabfu]

Wow that looks sweet man, great job!

[Nick Furia]

Sweet.

[stomper4x4.com]

Will you please clarify what wheels and tires you got. I checked RPP and don't seem to be able to find them. Are they about the size of the stock rims and tires? Thank you

[twisted]

looks good. how did you mount the body ?

[crawler182]

i had the same problem with the interior and the electronics. all i did was black out thw windows in mine and it looked fine

[Kodak]

that is a nice scaler setup. The tires look like swamper did you have them from a model kit or did you buy them?

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by Kodak

that is a nice scaler setup. The tires look like swamper did you have them from a model kit or did you buy them?

Yep, Aoshima Super Swampers. Purchased seperately from the kit though, see below

Originally Posted by stomper4x4.com

Will you please clarify what wheels and tires you got. I checked RPP and don't seem to be able to find them. Are they about the size of the stock rims and tires? Thank you

You have to look in the plastic model section (1:24th scale wheels/accessories) they're not in with the RC stuff. Here's a link, but they're out of stock now -

http://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/aos084816.htm

Compared to the stock Micro tires, they're smaller. Approx. 2/3rd the size.

Originally Posted by crawler182

i had the same problem with the interior and the electronics. all i did was black out the windows in mine and it looked fine

Yea, I'm thinking that the windows are getting a tint job. Not totally black, I still kinda want to see through them some.

It looks like the builds with full interior work have also been re-wired, with smaller esc's and receivers. I'm not up for it just yet. I pulled this off w/o altering the stock wiring at all.

Originally Posted by twisted

looks good. how did you mount the body ?

Thanks. The body clips on to the floor pan at the front and rear. Very similar to the front clip of an Xmod. The floor pan is screwed and epoxied to the kit chassis. It's more solid than I thought it would be, but it's still very easy to unclip the body and remove it when the pack dies.

[666]

That looks great!

[King of Beers]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

It looks like the builds with full interior work have also been re-wired, with smaller esc's and receivers. I'm not up for it just yet. I pulled this off w/o altering the stock wiring at all.

I was able to fit all my stock electronics under the hood of my truck. Note i am using the stock battery.

[danhikeski]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

.....Yea, I'm thinking that the windows are getting a tint job. Not totally black, I still kinda want to see through them some.....

You can use the same stuff they sell at autoparts stores for your 1:1 car.

[rcjeepbuilder]

Looks great Mike!! I like to see good scalers coming out of WV!!!

[sweli]

Really nice build!!

So how would you rate the softness of the tire combo? What compared to?
Are their foams in the tires?

[cutlaSS]

Looks awesome! The kit wheels and tires are perfect, I would try mine from my 4runner kit if they were softer. But I like the diameter, maybe I'll try to reduce a set os losi tires to fit the kit wheels. I need more micros, too many potential builds!

[bmx_ican92]

The tires are a little to hard

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by 666

That looks great!

Originally Posted by rcjeepbuilder

Looks great Mike!! I like to see good scalers coming out of WV!!!

Thanks y'all

Originally Posted by sweli

Really nice build!!

So how would you rate the softness of the tire combo? What compared to?
Are their foams in the tires?

They are not really soft at all. No foams inside, nothing. They are definitely a compromise. I had a chance to drive them today, and I was surprised they did as well as they did. They could be worse. The lack of clearance hurt more than lack of traction.

Originally Posted by cutlaSS

Looks awesome! The kit wheels and tires are perfect, I would try mine from my 4runner kit if they were softer. But I like the diameter, maybe I'll try to reduce a set os losi tires to fit the kit wheels. I need more micros, too many potential builds!

If you could reduce the stock tires to this size, that would be sweet. For the size the stock tires hook up very well. Yes, there's too many bodies for scale builds available, somebody will come up with a solution.

Originally Posted by bmx_ican92

The tires are a little to hard

Yea, but they look perfect. Compromise...

I sat there looking at the bottom of the chassis, and it occured to me that it would be ridiculously easy to raise the transmission. I drilled four more 1/16" holes for the mount bolts, pushed the transmission up in the frame to meet the new holes, bolted it back up, and cut off the excess frame material with a cut-off wheel in the Dremel. Simple and quick, and it raised the transmission 5 or 6mm. And it brought the inboard link mounts closer together which seems to help the suspension geometry. A little more ground clearance makes a big difference. I also re-worked the front shock mounts and put springs on the front shocks:



Cell phone pics from actual driving today. The snow is all frozen so it just rolls over top of it.

[ecoli]

Wow, looks killer. The wheels/tires are much more like a 1:1. On that note, where's the pic of the 1:1 to compare this to ?

[low_down]

man thats just cool, i really need to get working on my micro scaler.

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by ecoli

Wow, looks killer. The wheels/tires are much more like a 1:1. On that note, where's the pic of the 1:1 to compare this to ?

Thanks. That's what I was after, the scale look. Not a monster truck.

I did'nt know if anyone would really be interested in the inspiration...



A little dirty and rusty, but I love it. If it had lockers it would be damn near unstoppable...

[landtortise89]

nice little micro build the size of the micro opens up a whole world of new scaler builds cause most model kits are 1/25